1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a method for propagating and growing plants of the bromeliaceae family, especially of the genus pineapple, and plants obtained in this way.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Plants of this family comprise numerous genuses, subdivided into multiple varieties, which are cultivated for their fruit and/or their flowers, for consumption and/or decoration.
Plants of the genus pineapple are cultivated principally for their fruit for consumption, but some varieties, the fruits of which are of little interest from the consumption point of view, are cultivated as ornamental plants or to provide cut flowers to be kept in vases filled with water.
Plants of the bromeliaceae family, and those of the genus pineapple in particular, have a common characteristic in a stem that is provided with roots at its base and which features closely spaced nodes from which the leaves grow. During growth of the plant there grows from the stem and above the leaves a floral stalk also called the "inflorescence stem".
This floral stalk has different morphological characteristics to the stem and in particular has nodes that are much more widely spaced than those of the stem which it surmounts or extends.
As it grows, this floral stalk produces a flower or, to be more precise, a group of flowers the combined carpels of which have the characteristic appearance of the fruit which will develop from the flowers.
The fruit which develops from the flowers is generally surmounted by a ring or "tuft" of leaves, the leaves in which are identical to those which form at the base of the plant, but shorter.
As it grows the plant produces buds which grow from the stem in particular and some of which form shoots.
For propagation selected shoots are separated from the parent plant as cuttings to produce other plants which in turn produce a fruit.
When a plant of the genus pineapple is cultivated for consumption, the fruit is gathered by cutting the floral stalk just below the fruit, when the latter has reached maturity or a stage close to maturity.
When a plant of the genus pineapple is cultivated for ornamental purposes, either the potted plant or the cut flower, that is to say the floral stalk surmounted by the flower and/or the fruit, is marketted.
The potted plant has the main disadvantage of being particularly bulky and difficult to transport since its average diameter is generally in the order of 50 to 70 cm.
As for the cut flower, its main disadvantage is that is has a relatively short life in water, three weeks to one month maximum, and it is difficult to display in a vase, given the relatively great weight of the fruit which surmounts the floral stalk.
An object of the invention is to remedy the abovementioned disadvantages by providing a method of propagating and growing plants of the bromeliaceae family whereby ornamental plants of a new kind may be obtained.
It has been found, surprisingly, that plants of this family can be propagated from a part of the plant which until now has never been used or proposed for use for the purposes of reproduction or propagation.
In the prior art the plant is principally reproduced, as already explained, by cuttings consisting of shoots selected according to precise criteria.
More or less successful attempts have been made to reproduce these plants from the other parts of the plant, for example the stem or leaves.
It has now been found that it is possible to propagate the plant from the floral stalk, under well defined conditions.